Families Chapter 9 Outline PDF

FAMILIES CHAPTER 9 Is “The Family” in Decline? Nuclear family Consists of a cohabiting man and woman who maintain a socially approved sexual relationship and have at least one child. Traditional nuclear family A nuclear family in which the husband works outside the home f...

FAMILIES CHAPTER 9 Is “The Family” in Decline? Nuclear family Consists of a cohabiting man and woman who maintain a socially approved sexual relationship and have at least one child. Traditional nuclear family A nuclear family in which the husband works outside the home for money and the wife works without pay in the home. Is “the family” in decline? How could this question be addressed? A functionalist perspective: The decrease in married-couple families and increase in working mothers is viewed to be socially disastrous, leading to, and responsible for rising rates of crime illegal drug use poverty welfare dependency A conflict theorist / feminist perspective: It may be inaccurate to talk about “the family.” Diversity of family forms is a result of the increasing demands of new social pressures. Changing family forms often represent improvement: Functionalism and the Nuclear Ideal Other family forms: Polygamy Expands the nuclear family “horizontally” by adding one or more spouses (usually women) to the household. Extended family Expands the nuclear family “vertically” by adding another generation—one or more of the spouses’ parents—to the household. Functionalism and the Nuclear Ideal Marriage Socially approved, presumably long-term sexual and economic union between a man and a woman. – It involves rights and obligations between spouses and between parents and children. Functionalism and the Nuclear Ideal Functions of the Nuclear Family 1. Sexual regulation 2. Economic cooperation 3. Reproduction 4. Socialization 5. Emotional support Functionalism and the Nuclear Ideal The Canadian Middle-Class in the 1950s Canadians lived in marriage-couple families that gave way to the baby boom. Married women typically stayed home to raise children. Men typically worked outside the home in the paid labour force. – In many respects, this was an historical anomaly. Traditional Nuclear Family New Alternatives Never-married singlehood, Legally Married non-marital cohabitation With children Voluntary childlessness Single-parent (never married Two-parent or previously married) Divorce, remarriage (including binuclear family involving Permanent joint custody, stepfamily, or “blended” family) Traditional Nuclear Family New Alternatives Male primary Egalitarian marriage provider, (including dual-career and ultimate commuter marriage) authority Extramarital relationships Sexually (including sexually open exclusive marriage, swinging, and intimate friendships) Same-sex intimate Heterosexual relationships or households Multi-adult households (including multiple spouses, Two-adult communal living, affiliated household families, and Functionalism and the Nuclear Ideal The Displacement of Family Functions Many of the traditional functions of the nuclear family, such as economic cooperation reproduction socialization sexual regulation emotional support have been eroded or partly taken over by other institutions. Conflict and Feminist Theories Conflict theorists: Inequalities of wealth had given rise to the male sexual and economic dominance in the traditional nuclear family. Feminist theorists: The social system of patriarchy (male dominance and norms justifying that dominance) had given rise to the traditional nuclear family. Power and Families Love and Mate Selection In most societies throughout human history, marriage partner selection was a calculated decision to increase family prestige, economic benefits, and political advantages. Marriage Based on Love Rooted in the rise of liberalism and the promotion of individualism—both stressing the freedom of the individual over the welfare of the community. Power and Families Three sets of social forces that influence your falling in love and mate selection: 1. Marriage resources 2. Third parties 3. Demographic and compositional factors The Social Roots of Marital Satisfaction Marital stability is greatly dependent on marital satisfaction. Main factors underlying marital satisfaction: 1. Economic forces 2. Divorce laws 3. The family life cycle 4. Housework and child care 5. Sex Divorce in Canada Before 1968: Only for reason of adultery. Divorce Act of 1968 (first federal divorce statute) widened the reasons for divorce. 1985 Amendment of the Divorce Act: Divorce was granted on the basis of ‘marital breakdown’ (defined in three ways). Today: There is no need to prove grounds: a marriage is legally ‘dissolved’ because the relationship is ‘irretrievably broken.’ Divorce in Canada Economic Effects Women’s income usually falls after divorce. Men’s income usually rises after divorce. All Canadian provinces and territories have laws requiring spouses to share assets. The monetary value of tangible assets is relatively easy to calculate and divide. Division of intangible assets is problematic. Divorce in Canada Emotional Effects Research shows that children of divorced parents 1. tend to develop behavioural problems / do less well in school; 2. are more likely to engage in delinquent acts / abuse drugs and alcohol; 3. as adults, are less likely to be happy, more likely to suffer health problems, depend on welfare, earn low incomes, and experience divorce themselves. Factors Affecting the Well-Being of Children A reanalysis of 92 relevant studies showed that, on average, the overall effect of divorce on children’s well-being is not strong and declines over time. Accounting for much of the distress among children of divorce: 1. A high level of parental conflict 2. A decline in living standards 3. The absence of a parent Housework and Child Care Housework and child care are part of the one domain that remains largely resistant to change. Even women who work full-time usually experience a “second shift” of housework and child care. While men take a more active role than before, it has been only a modest change. Tasks that men perform typically are low- stress and can often wait a day or even a week. Housework and Child Care Two main factors shrink the gap in housework, child care, and senior care: 1. The smaller the difference between the husband’s and the wife’s earnings, the more equal the division of household labour. 2. Attitude – The more the husband and wife agree that there should be equality in the household division of labour, the more equality there is.  Family Diversity Heterosexual Cohabitation About 90 percent of Canadians marry at least once, but marriage is becoming less important for some Canadians. The proportion of common-law families in Canada more than tripled between 1981 (5.6%) and 2011 (16.9%). Family Diversity Same-Sex Marriage In 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. Civil Unions Civil unions recognize the partnerships as having some or all of the legal rights of marriage. Family Diversity Raising Children in Homosexual Families Some same-sex couples raise children who are 1. the offspring of previous, heterosexual marriages; 2. adopted; 3. conceived via artificial insemination. Family Diversity Raising Children in Homosexual Families Some people believe that the children 1. develop a confused sexual identity; 2. exhibit a tendency to become homosexuals; 3. suffer discrimination from children and adults in the “straight” community. Family Diversity Lone-Parent Families In 2011: More than 15 percent of Canadian families were headed by a lone parent. More than 80 percent of those families were headed by women. – The poverty rate is more than double the rate of male-headed single-parent families. Family Diversity Zero-Child Families Why not call them childless families? child-free families? People with high income, high education, and professional and managerial occupations are most likely to have zero- child families. Family Policy 1. On almost all indicators of nuclear family decline, Sweden leads the United States. 2. On almost all measures of children’s well- being, Sweden leads the United States. Why? Sweden has a substantial family support policy. Family Policy Canada In a study of 33 countries: Canada tied for 5th place in number of weeks for new parents to take off work. Canada ranked in 15th place for generosity of maternity leave benefits. Family Policy Canada Three criticisms are commonly raised against generous family support policies: 1. Policies encourage long-term dependence on welfare, illegitimate births, and the breakup of two-parent families. 2. Non-family child care is bad for children under the age of three. 3. Policies are expensive and have to be paid for by high taxes.